Coat hanger



F 1959 T. A. SEEGRIST 2,873,053

' COAT HANGER Filed June 17, 1954 INVENTOR qzmww United States Patent COAT HANGER Theodore A. Seegrist, McLean, Va. Application June 17, 1954, Serial No. 437,385 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-98) This invention relates to a wire coat hanger of the conventional type having a straight base bar and two side bars forming a triangle with a hook extending from the apex thereof. A usual hanger of this type is quite flimsy so that it will not adequately support a heavy coat. Also the base bar is so thin that hanging folded trousers over it results in creasing the trousers at the fold line.

The present invention provides an attachment for the hanger comprising a rod of rigid material which is detachably positioned above and along the base bar and held thereon in a manner to form a rigid structure.

For a detailed description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a wire coat hanger with the attachment in installed position, parts being broken away for illustration purposes;

Fig. 2 is a View showing the attachment of Fig. l in a position prior to its installed position;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a three-dimensional view of an end of the hanger and attachment in its installed position.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, the hanger, of conventional design formed from a single piece of Wire, has a straight base bar 11, two side bars 12 and 13 joined to the base bar to form a triangle, and a hook 14.

The attachment 30 preferably made of wood is divided in its central portion as shown at 31. The longitudinally extending laterally spaced projections 32 and 33 and lateral shoulder 34 between them are formed by an end slot 35 communicating with the base bar-receiving groove 36.

The attachment is installed by first positioning it on the base bar of the hanger as shown in Fig. 1 with the central portion raised from the installed position, with the pieces in contact as a fulcrum 37 at the lower portion of their adjacent ends, and with the side bars each between its spaced projections and bearing against its lateral shoulder. The central portion of the attachment is then forced towards the base bar to snap it past dead center into its installed position. The lateral shoulders are thus brought into tight engagement with the side bars imparting rigidity to the structure.

It is preferable that the attachment be made from wood. Mill ends can be used for the purpose thus utilizing a frequently wasted material. Wood is also a softer material than the wire of the hanger and the lateral shoulders are so spaced that they will engage tightly against the side bars and the side bars will cut ways into the shoulders during the installation. Thus an exceptionally tight fit and rigid structure is obtained with a predetermined distance between the lateral shoulders even 65 when there is variation in the lengths of hangers, on which the attachment is aflixed. In accomplishing this end it is preferred to form the lateral shoulder so as to contact the side bar only at the upper corner 40 of the shoulder. As the side bar cuts its way into the shoulder the end of the attachment is wedged tightly between the side bar and base bar at their intersecting corner. This fixes the attachment securely in its installed position.

I claim:

1. The combination with a Wire coat hanger having a straight base bar and two side bars forming a triangle, of a trousers hanging attachment for the hanger comprising a rod of rigid material having at each end two laterally spaced longitudinally extending projections and a lateral shoulder between the projections, the rod being detachably mounted above and along the base bar with each side bar of the hanger fitting between the spaced projections at the end of the rod adjacent the side bar, the lateral shoulders at the two ends of the rod being of such a distance apart that the lateral shoulders engage tightly against the side bars, thus to form a rigid structure with the upper portion of the rod adapted to support a folded trousers hung thereover, said rod having a longitudinal groove in its bottom portion in which the base bar fits and being vertically divided in the central portion forming two pieces, whereby the rod is installed by positioning it on the base bar with the central portion raised from its installed position, with the pieces in contact as a fulcrum at the lower portion of their adjacent ends, and with the side bars in position each between its spaced projections and bearing against its lateral shoulder, and then by forcing the rod at the central portion towards the base bar to snap it past dead centre into its installed position. i

2. A trousers hanging attachment for a wire coat hanger having a straight base bar and two side bars forming a triangle, said attachment comprising a rod of rigid material for, detachably mounting on the hanger above and along the base bar, a longitudinal groove in the bottom portion of the rod for receiving the base bar, laterally spaced projections with a lateral shoulder between them at each end of the rod for receiving a side bar of the hanger between its spaced projections, said rod being vertically divided in its central portion forming two pieces, the lateral shoulders at the two ends of the rod being of such a distance apart that the rod is installed by positioning it on the base bar with the central portion raised from its installed position, with the pieces in contact as a fulcrum at the lower portion of their adjacent ends, and with the side bars in position each between its spaced projections and bearing against its lateral shoulder, and then by forcing the rod at the central portions towards the base bar to snap it past dead centre into its installed position with the lateral shoulders engaged tightly against the side bars, thus to form a rigid structure with the upper portion of the rod adapted to support a folded trousers hung thereover.

3. The attachment of claim 2 in which the lateral shoulders are formed so as to contact the side bars only at the upper corners of the shoulders whereby the ends of the rod wedge tightly between the side bars and the base bar at their intersecting corners when the attachment is installed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v KARL H AXLINE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,873,053 February 10, 1959 Theodore A, See'grist It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters .Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 41, after "shown at 31" and before the period insertand has a longitudinal groove 36 in its bottom. portion in base bar fits, It is longer than the hanger so to extend beyond the side bars and support the coat at the shoulders. It is rounded at the top to support folded trousers hung tnereover-n of attaonment are similar and only one Will be described in detail line 47 for "Figbl" read Fig 2 Signed and sealed this 21st day of July 1959a SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner of Patents 

